The release of the April 2025 U.S. EB-5 Visa Bulletin has sent shockwaves through the EB-5 investment immigration community. Under the legacy program, the priority date experienced a staggering and dramatic retrogression, moving back 905 days from the previous month to January 22, 2014. This unexpected shift has caused unprecedented distress for many investors under the legacy program.
What impact does this retrogression have on applicants at different stages under the legacy program?
- Applicants who have received an NVC interview notice and are attending as scheduled: If the visa is issued by March 31, 2025, they will not be affected by the retrogression. It is recommended that these applicants attend their interviews as scheduled.
- Applicants who have received a documentarily qualified letter but have not yet been scheduled for an interview: They will be affected by the retrogression. Applicants whose priority date is after the Final Action Date in Table A (January 22, 2014, for Chinese applicants) and who did not have an interview scheduled in March will be impacted.
- Applicants who have already filed Form I-485 for Adjustment of Status (Table B Dates for Filing): They will be affected by the retrogression. For applicants whose priority date is after the Final Action Date in Table A, their I-485 application will be paused until Table A advances to their priority date.
- Will the retrogression affect the repayment timeline for applicants who have already received their Green Cards? No, they will not be affected. Changes in Table A/B do not impact the sustainment period for investors who have already obtained their Green Cards, nor will it affect the repayment timeline.
Significant retrogression under the legacy program
Will investors under the new program be affected?
According to the April 2025 U.S. EB-5 Visa Bulletin, the three reserved visa categories under the new EB-5 program (Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure) remain current. In other words, investors under the new program are not affected by the sudden and significant retrogression in the non-reserved categories.
Recently, Worldway Group has had many batches of new program clients receive interview notices from the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou for April. Worldway Group is sparing no effort to provide personalized interview coaching for every investor to help them successfully complete their interviews and obtain their immigrant visas!
New Program Window: Benefits Remain but Are Fleeting
How should investors respond?
● Submit applications as soon as possible: Although there is no retrogression for reserved visa categories under the new EB-5 program, it is worth noting that current visa-current status does not guarantee it will remain so in the future. The Department of State already issued a retrogression risk warning for the new program in January! To avoid a repeat of the legacy program's history, it is recommended that investors act quickly, select high-quality projects, and submit their I-526E applications as early as possible to secure an earlier priority date.
● Choose the right project: Prioritize rural projects with an approved I-956F. This means that when USCIS reviews the investor's I-526E, they only need to focus on the investor's personal documents and source of funds, without needing to re-adjudicate the project materials. The approval speed for the investor's I-526E will be faster, and rural projects also enjoy priority processing!
● Seize the concurrent filing window: The new EB-5 program is currently in a policy bonus period. By concurrently filing Form I-526E and Form I-485 while in the United States, applicants can secure "small Green Card" status (EAD + Advance Parole) in advance, allowing for freedom to work, study, and travel. Once the U.S. Green Card enters retrogression, the "concurrent filing" policy will also be canceled. The "concurrent filing" policy is the first time in U.S. immigration history that applicants have been allowed to submit an adjustment of status application before their immigrant petition is approved, with the possibility of obtaining a Combo card in as little as 90 days.
It can be said that "concurrent filing" under the new EB-5 program is one of the most beneficial reforms! Under the new EB-5 program, many Worldway Group clients have already obtained their Combo cards, with the shortest time being only 3 months, allowing them to work and travel freely in the United States, fully reflecting the convenience the new policy brings to investors' lives and work.
Furthermore, many Worldway Group clients have successfully obtained their Green Cards. Among them, some clients took only 7 months from filing their I-485 (Adjustment of Status) application to receiving their Green Card, which is extremely fast.
For investors intending to immigrate to the United States, seizing the favorable policies under the new EB-5 program is undoubtedly the key to quickly realizing their Green Card dream. Currently, the quota for rural projects in the EB-5 reserved visa channel is more abundant, making it the preferred choice for quickly obtaining a U.S. Green Card. At present, the two best-selling premium EB-5 projects on the market—the "Aspen Kodiak Apartments," which has received both I-956F and I-526E approvals, and the "Hawaii Gray Hotel," a project created by capital giants with an approved I-956F—are high-quality EB-5 rural projects that have been strictly screened and vetted by Worldway Group, making them excellent choices for your quick immigration to the United States.
